1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a technical field of a parameter setting apparatus, a parameter setting method, an information recording apparatus, an information recording method, and an information recording medium. More particularly, it relates to a technical field of a parameter setting apparatus and a parameter setting method for setting a recording parameter, which is used for recording information to a recording medium, before a recording of information, an information recording apparatus and an information recording method, including the above parameter setting apparatus, for recording information, and an information recording medium in which a setting program for setting the recording parameter is recorded in a readable way by a computer.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, a DVD that is an optical disk having extremely higher storage capacities than a conventional CD (Compact Disc) is standardized, and a read-only DVD is in general use.
Further, not only the read-only DVD but also a rewritable progresses in standardization.
As the recordable DVD, there are a DVD-R (DVD-Recordable) that is a DVD capable of recording information only once (namely, capable of writing once) and a DVD-RW (DVD-Re-Recordable) capable of recording information multiple times, and the both DVDs are sequentially being standardized.
Generally, when information is recorded in the recordable DVD, optical beams for recording, which is intensive-modulated in accordance with the information to be recorded, is irradiated on the DVD so as to record the information. Therefore, it is necessary to perform calibration processing on the intensity of the optical beams (hereinafter, referred to as a recording power simply) every time information is recorded. This is why there is some case where the optimum recording power at the information recording may vary, caused by a stain of the recordable DVD itself, temperature, or a time-varying reflectivity on the information recorded surface.
Accordingly, the above DVD-R standard defines that an area referred to as a PCA (Power Calibration Area) and an RMA (Recording Management Area) should be at a position inward from the lead-in area in the DVD-R, in order to do the calibration processing.
The PCA is divided into several sectors and the calibration processing will be executed by using one or several sectors. More concretely, in the PCA corresponding to one or several sectors, while increasing the recording power step-by-step from a predetermined minimum value to a predetermined maximum value, setting signals having the random pulse width, for example, from 3T to 11T (T is the time unit for use in recording information by the information recording appratus R) are sequentially recorded, and the recorded setting signals are sequentially detected and reproduced, from that one recorded with the minimum recording power. The recording power used for recording a setting signal in which the peak level is equal to the bottom level in every reproduced signal corresponding to the above pulse width at a time of the playback, is set as the optimum recording power of the optical beam in the information recording, and thereafter, actual recording of the recording information is executed by use of the optical beam of the optimum recording power.
The optimum recording power thus calculated and the number of a sector within the PCA used for setting the optimum recording power (in a short, the number of a used sector) are recorded within the RMA in a distinguishable way, as the calibration information and thereafter, the recording of the actual recording information starts.
In the above-mentioned DVD-R, since the information can be recorded only once on the overall surface thereof, a sector within the PCA used once for the optimization of the recording power cannot be used for the optimization thereafter. At this time, if a new recording power is optimized by use of the used sector by mistake, the recording power cannot be optimized accurately, thereby failing in the accurate information recording thereafter.
In the above DVD-R standard, in the next calibration processing of the recording power, standardized is that a sector within the PCA which has never been used for the calibration processing so far is retrieved by referring to the description within the RMA and that the calibration processing of the recording power is executed by use of the retrieved non-used sector.
However, that there are 400 areas capable of describing calibration history in the RMA, is standardized, and the timing (for example, at an eject time of the DVD-R after finishing recording) when the calibration history should be described is not standardized. Owing to this, there are some cases where the calibration history cannot be described assuredly or some cases where the corresponding area after description of the calibration history cannot be retrieved accurately. In these cases, it becomes impossible to distinguish which sector is a used one within the PCA, which results in making a mistake of performing the calibration processing using a used sector.
To cope with the above problem, heretofore, there is adopted a method of detecting a detected/playback signal corresponding to an actually recorded setting signal by scanning the PCA using the optical beams and retrieving a used sector from the level thereof, as disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 11-175977.
According to the above-mentioned conventional retrieval method of the used sector, as for a sector where a setting signal is recorded with the minimum recording power (near to zero level), since the recording power is too small to detect a detected/playback signal in the retrieval method, it may be regarded as the non-used sector, even if a used-sector. Therefore, the calibration processing of the recording power may be performed by using a used sector, similarly in the conventional method, thereby failing in the accurate calibration processing.
In consideration of the above problem, an object of the present invention is to provide a parameter setting apparatus and a parameter setting method capable of accurately retrieving a non-used sector in the PCA and performing the accurate calibration of the recording power by use of the above non-used sectors an information recording apparatus and an information recording method for information recording, including the above parameter setting apparatus, and an information recording medium with a setting program for setting the recording parameter recorded there in a readable way by a computer.
The above object of the present invention can be achieved by a parameter setting apparatus of the present invention for setting a recording parameter for use in optical information recording on a recording medium, by use of any one of a plurality of setting areas previously provided on the recording medium. The apparatus is provided with: a checking device for checking whether a special detected signal is optically detected or not from the setting areas; a retrieving device for retrieving a non-used area that is the setting area where no special detected signal is detected, of the setting areas, based on the check result of the checking device; a mark signal recording device for optically recording a mark signal for obtaining the special detected signal optically, in the detected non-used setting area setting signal recording device for recording a setting signal for setting the recording parameter, at least, in the non-used setting area excluding an area where the mark signal is recorded; and a setting device for setting the recording parameter by optically detecting the recorded setting signal.
According to the present invention, since the non-used setting area is retrieved by referring to the special detected signal, so that the mark signal and the setting signal is recorded, and the recording parameter is set by use of the recorded setting signal, it is possible to retrieve the non-used setting area accurately and set the recording parameter accurately by use of this. Therefore use of the accurately-set recording parameter enables the accurate and assured information recording.
In one aspect of the present invention, the mark signal recording device records the mark signal at a position detected prior to the setting signal recorded in the non-used setting area.
According to this aspect, since the mark signal is recorded at a position detected prior to the setting signal, the accurate detection of the first detected position in the setting area enables accurate detection of a non-used setting area.
In another aspect of the present invention, the mark signal recording device repeats the recording of the mark signal at a predetermined interval during the recording of the setting signal.
According to this aspect, since the mark signal is recorded at a predetermined interval during recording the setting signal, it is possible to prevent from a detection mistake of a non-used setting area caused by detecting no special detected signal for a long time.
In further aspect of the present invention, the checking device is further provided with: a position retrieving device for retrieving a predicted position of the setting area on the recording medium where the special detected signal is to be optically detected; a first moving device for moving an executing device for detecting the setting signal and the special detected signal, from the retrieved predicted position, to a retrieval starting position on the recording medium distant from there at least by a distance corresponding to the predetermined interval; and a second moving device for repeating an operation of further moving the executing device again from the special detected signal-detected position on the recording medium to a position on the recording medium distant from there at least by a distance corresponding to the predetermined interval, when the special detected signal is detected while the executing device is moved from the retrieval starting position to the predicted position, and further moving the executing device to the predicted position, from a position of the executing device after the above further moving used as the retrieval starting position, so as to check whether the special detected signal is detected or not In addition, the retrieving device regards the setting area adjacent to the setting area where the special detected signal detected last is recorded as the non-used setting area, when none of the special detected signal is detected while the executing device is moved from the retrieval starting position to the predicted position.
According to this aspect, since a non-used setting area is detected based on the special detected signal while repeating the transition of the executing device from the retrieval starting position to the predicted position and the update of the retrieval starting position, it is possible to detect the non-used setting area accurately.
In further aspect of the present invention, the recording parameter is intensity of an optical beam for use in the information recording.
According to this aspect, use of a non-used setting area enables the accurate setting of the intensity of the recording optical beam.
In further aspect of the present invention, the apparatus is further provided with a recording device for executing the information recording by use of the set recording parameter.
According to this aspect, use of the accurately-set recording parameter enables the accurate and assured information recording.
The above object of the present invention can be achieved by a parameter setting method of the present invention for setting a recording parameter for use in optical information recording on a recording medium, using any one of a plurality of setting areas previously provided on the recording medium. The method is provided with: a checking process for checking whether a special detected signal is optically detected or not from the setting areas; a retrieving process for retrieving a non-used area that is the setting area where no special detected signal is detected, of the setting areas, based on the check result in the checking process, a mark signal recording process for optically recording a mark signal for obtaining the special detected signal optically, in the detected non-used setting area; a setting signal recording process for recording a setting signal for setting the recording parameter, at least, in the non-used setting area excluding an area where the mark signal is recorded; and a setting process for setting the recording parameter by optically detecting the recorded setting signal.
According to the present invention, since a non-used setting area is retrieved by referring to the special detected signal, so to record the mark signal and the setting signal and the recording parameter is set by use of this recorded setting signal, it is possible to retrieve the non-used setting area accurately and set the recording parameter accurately by use of this. Therefore use of the accurately-set recording parameter enables the accurate and assured information recording.
In one aspect of the present invention, in the mark signal recording process, the mark signal is recorded at a position detected prior to the setting signal recorded in the non-used setting area.
According to this aspect, since the mark signal is recorded at a position detected prior to the setting signal, the accurate detection of the first detected position in the setting area enables accurate detection of a non-used setting area.
In another aspect of the present invention, in the mark signal recording process, the recording of the mark signal is repeated at a predetermined interval during the recording of the setting signal.
According to this aspect, since the mark signal is recorded at a predetermined interval during recording the setting signal, it is possible to prevent from a detection mistake of a non-used setting area caused by detecting no special setting signal for a long time.
In further aspect of the present invention, the checking process is further provided with: a position retrieving process for retrieving a predicted position of the setting area on the recording medium where the special detected signal is to be optically detected; a first moving process for moving an executing device for detecting the setting signal and the special detected signal, from the retrieved predicted position, to a retrieval starting position on the recording medium distant from there at least by a distance corresponding to the predetermined interval; and a second moving process for repeating an operation of further moving the executing device again from the special detected signal-detected position on the recording medium to a position on the recording medium distant from there at least by a distance corresponding to the predetermined interval, when the special detected signal is detected while the executing device is moved from the retrieval starting position to the predicted position, and further moving the executing device to the predicted position, from a position of the executing device after the above further moving used as the retrieval starting position, so as to check whether the special detected signal is detected or not. In addition, in the retrieving process, the setting area adjacent to the setting area where the special detected signal detected last is recorded, is regarded as the non-used setting area, when none of the special detected signal is detected while the executing device is moved from the retrieval starting position to the predicted position.
According to this aspect, since a non-used setting area is detected based on the special detected signal while repeating the transition of the executing device from the retrieval starting position to the predicted position and the update of the retrieval starting position, it is possible to detect the non-used setting area accurately.
In further aspect of the present invention, the recording parameter is intensity of an optical beam for use in the information recording.
According to this aspect, use of a non-used setting area enables the accurate setting of the intensity of the recording optical beam.
In further aspect of the present invention, the method is further provided with a recording process for executing the information recording by use of the set recording parameter.
The above object of the present invention can be achieved by an information recording medium of the present invention in which a setting program is recorded in a readable way by a setting computer, which is included in a recording parameter setting apparatus for setting a recording parameter for use in optical information recording on the recording medium, using any one of a plurality of setting areas previously provided on the recording medium. The setting program causes the setting computer to function as: a checking device for checking whether a special detected signal is optically detected or not from the setting areas; a retrieving device for retrieving a non-used area that is the setting area where no special detected signal is detected, of the setting areas, based on the check result of the checking device; a mark signal recording device for optically recording a mark signal for obtaining the special detected signal optically, in the detected non-used setting area; a setting signal recording device for recording a setting signal for setting the recording parameter, at least, in the non-used setting area excluding an area where the mark signal is recorded; and a setting device for setting the recording parameter by optically detecting the recorded setting signal.
According to the present invention, since the setting computer works so as to retrieve a non-used setting area by referring to the special detected signal to record the mark signal and the setting signal and so as to set the recording parameter by use of this recorded setting signal, it is possible to retrieve the non-used setting area accurately and set the recording parameter accurately by use of this Therefore use of the accurately-set recording parameter enables the accurate and assured information recording.
In one aspect of the present invention, the mark signal recording device records the mark signal at a position detected prior to the setting signal recorded in the non-used setting area.
According to this aspect, since the setting computer works so as to record the mark signal at a position detected prior to the setting signal, the accurate detection of the first detected position in the setting area enables accurate detection of a non-used setting area.
In another aspect of the present invention, the mark signal recording device repeats the recording of the mark signal at a predetermined interval during the recording of the setting signal.
According to this aspect, since the setting computer works so as to record the mark signal at a predetermined interval during recording the setting signal, it is possible to prevent from a detection mistake of a non-used setting area caused by detecting no special setting signal for a long time.
In further aspect of the present invention, the checking device is further provided with: a position retrieving device for retrieving a predicted position of the setting area on the recording medium where the special detected signal is to be optically detected; a first moving device for moving an executing device for detecting the setting signal and the special detected signal, from the retrieved predicted position, to a retrieval starting position on the recording medium distant from there at least by a distance corresponding to the predetermined interval; and a second moving device for repeating an operation of further moving the executing device again from the special detected signal-detected position on the recording medium to a position on the recording medium distant from there at least by a distance corresponding to the predetermined interval, when the special detected signal is detected while the executing device is moved from the retrieval starting position to the predicted position, and further moving the executing device to the predicted position, from a position of the executing device after the above further moving used as the retrieval starting position, so as to check whether the special detected signal is detected or not. In addition, the retrieving device regards the setting area adjacent to the setting area where the special detected signal detected last is recorded as the non-used setting area, when none of the special detected signal is detected while the executing device is moved from the retrieval starting position to the predicted position.
According to this aspect, since the setting computer works so as to detect a non-used setting area based on the special detected signal while repeating the transition of the executing device from the retrieval starting position to the predicted position and the update of the retrieval starting position, it is possible to detect the non-used setting area accurately.
In further aspect of the present invention, the recording parameter is intensity of an optical beam for use in the information recording.
According to this aspect, use of a non-used setting area enables the accurate setting of the intensity of the recording optical beam.
In further aspect of the present invention, the setting program further causes the setting computer to function as a recording device for executing the information recording by use of the set recording parameter.
According to this aspect, use of the accurately-set recording parameter enables the accurate and assured information recording.
The above object of the present invention can be achieved by a computer data signal embodied in a carrier wave and representing a sequence of instructions of the present invention, which is executed by a setting computer, which is included in a recording parameter setting apparatus for setting a recording parameter for use in optical information recording on the recording medium, using any one of a plurality of setting areas previously provided on the recording medium. The instructions is provided with the steps of: checking whether a special detected signal is optically detected or not from the setting areas; retrieving a non-used area that is the setting area where no special detected signal is detected, of the setting areas, based on the check result of the step of checking; optically recording a mark signal for obtaining the special detected signal optically, in the detected non-used setting area; recording a setting signal for setting the recording parameter, at least, in the non-used setting area excluding an area where the mark signal is recorded, and setting the recording parameter by optically detecting the recorded setting signal.
According to the present invention, since the setting computer works so as to retrieve a non-used setting area by referring to the special detected signal to record the mark signal and the setting signal and so as to set the recording parameter by use of this recorded setting signal, it is possible to retrieve the non-used setting area accurately and set the recording parameter accurately by use of this. Therefore use of the accurately-set recording parameter enables the accurate and assured information recording.
In one aspect of the present invention, the step of optically recording the mark signal records the mark signal at a position detected prior to the setting signal recorded in the non-used setting area.
According to this aspect, since the setting computer works so as to record the mark signal at a position detected prior to the setting signal, the accurate detection of the first detected position in the setting area enables accurate detection of a non-used setting area.
In another aspect of the present invention, the step of optically recording the mark signal repeats the recording of the mark signal at a predetermined interval during the recording of the setting signal.
According to this aspect, since the setting computer works so as to record the mark signal at a predetermined interval during recording the setting signal, it is possible to prevent from a detection mistake of a non-used setting area caused by detecting no special setting signal for a long time.
In further aspect of the present invention, the step of checking is further provided with the steps of: retrieving a predicted position of the setting area on the recording medium where the special detected signal is to be optically detected; moving an executing device for detecting the setting signal and the special detected signal, from the retrieved predicted position, to a retrieval starting position on the recording medium distant from there at least by a distance corresponding to the predetermined interval; and repeating an operation of further moving the executing device again from the special detected signal-detected position on the recording medium to a position on the recording medium distant from there at least by a distance corresponding to the predetermined interval, when the special detected signal is detected while the executing device is moved from the retrieval starting position to the predicted position, and further moving the executing device to the predicted position, from a position of the executing device after the above further moving used as the retrieval starting position, so as to check whether the special detected signal is detected or not, and the step of retrieving the non-used area regards the setting area adjacent to the setting area where the special detected signal detected last is recorded as the non-used setting areas when none of the special detected signal is detected while the executing device is moved from the retrieval starting position to the predicted position.
According to this aspect, since the setting computer works so as to detect a non-used setting area based on the special detected signal while repeating the transition of the executing device from the retrieval starting position to the predicted position and the update of the retrieval starting position, it is possible to detect the non-used setting area accurately.
In further aspect of the present invention, the recording parameter is intensity of an optical beam for use in the information recording.
According to this aspect, use of a non-used setting area enables the accurate setting of the intensity of the recording optical beam.
In further aspect of the present invention, the instructions are further provided with the step of executing the information recording by use of the set recording parameter.
According to this aspect, use of the accurately-set recording parameter enables the accurate and assured information recording.